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...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of DeadWorlds Apart Interscope/UMG Coming from a scene that produced heavyweights At The Drive-In and later the Mars Volta and Sparta, Austin natives ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead (or ...The Band With The Longest Name In The World) stamped their unique authority on the music world with 2002's breakthrough 'Source Tags & Codes'. The heavily delayed follow up, 'Worlds Apart' has finally been let loose, and it was well worth the wait. The album opens with a haunting and atmospheric introduction, Ode To Isis, beginning with a stripped back piano riff before building into a choir driven scream. As the track reaches its crescendo, suddenly everything stops, and a quiet voice cooly informs us: "and you will know us by the trail of dead." Like a kick to the stomach Will You Smile Again begins with a blast; it's a seven minute epic that takes unexpected twists and turns as it drops from a wall of guitars to horns and drums, and then jumps into a staccato rhythm of thick palm muting and a thumping kick drum. The opening to the album is enthralling, and sets up what becomes an almost cinematic experience. ...Trail Of Dead effortlessly combine relatively simple and brilliantly catchy pop melodies with layered and complex arrangements that create a form of rock that is uniquely their own, from the sea-shanty punk-rock sway of the title track to the sprawling A Classic Arts Showcase, to the intensely strange rhythms of highlight The Best. The songs on 'Worlds Apart' have a more straightforward pop structure than much of 'Source Tags...' and as such aren't as ultimately rewarding as those on the previous record, but are easily more accessible. This is a much more consistent album, and passes the ultimate test of a great record: it always has to played from start to finish. Creepy and atmospheric interludes connect tracks together and create an intensely emotional trip. Thematically, this trip depicts a band that is disenchanted by the world around them- note the angrily political Worlds Apart ("How they laughed as we shovelled the ashes / of the twin towers./ Blood and death we will pay back the debt/ of this candy store of ours"). Altogether, the juxtaposition of bitter, introspective lyrics and textured songwriting makes this a record that demands listening to- but let's keep things simple. This is a really good album. This is a really good band.  |
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